Pitching In Together

This morning we are cleaning the house. We've settled into a good routine. Molly and I team up for the bathrooms: I do the fixtures; she does the floors. Brian tackles the kitchen, because really it's his domain now. Then Molly vacuums the entire house. I honestly get off easy, but then again... I recently gave the entire basement a once-over, and I do all the outdoor upkeep.

Since Will has ongoing laundry and garbage duty, we let him slide on cleaning chores. I'm tempted to say who trusts a 14 year old boy to clean their house when he's doing well to take showers, brush teeth, wear his retainer, and use deodorant. But honestly, he's doing alright with all of that, considering that it really is so easy to forget without our regular routines gone. However there was a time not so very long ago when he avoided showers like... well, the pandemic.

This strange period of our lives has shown me that the four of us work well together as a team. Admittedly, there is very little stress in our daily lives, besides the obvious. But we pretty much divide and conquer where the household is concerned. I remember being so concerned that hiring regular housecleaners five years ago would leave my children irreparably spoiled and unable to fend for themselves, but that has not proven to be the case. They have stepped up to the plate time and time again, since quarantine began, and even beforehand as they've gradually matured.

I feel lucky every day to be quarantined with teenagers rather than toddlers, in a house that needs to be cleaned, by people willing to pitch in.